The Gravitation of We, Not Just Me
by BlacknCallwaterfan
Summary: From the stories passed down through the generations, imprinting for the shifters was supposed to mean 'forever' with their ONE. So why now are all the rules changing? Oh yeah, everyone had a smug Alpha & a wayward snarky Beta to thank for that. Post BD
1. Ch1:Runaway Love

**A/N: Another story in the midst of not even being able to update others? Yeah, crazy but I figured out a system where I'll update each story at least once, maybe twice a week until they are done. Anyhoo this sort of starts out rather slow but it'll get better if you can just stick with me lovies!**

**Summary: Roughly around four to six months after BD with a slight change. From the stories passed down through the generations, imprinting for the shifters was supposed to mean 'forever' with their ONE. So why now were all the rules changing? Oh yeah, everyone had a smug Alpha & a wayward snarky Beta to thank for that. **

**Rating: MA for future chapters.**

**Warnings for this story: anti-imprinting, unnecessary cursing, bashings on those who shall not be named yet, underage drinking and lots of healthy sex. ;)**

**Disclaimer: SM owns Twilight and anything else recognizable & the song belongs to Ludacris/ Mary J. Blige. **

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><p><em>Forced to think that Hell is a place called home<em>

_Nothin' else to do but get some clothes and pack_

_She says she's 'bout to run away and never come back_

_-Ludacris_

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><p><strong>Ch1: Runaway Love<strong>

Leah soaks a face cloth with cold water then bends forward, draws her shoulder length ponytail over one shoulder and holds the cloth to the nape of her neck. Streamlets trickle down her heated back, merging with the sweat seeping from her pores. Even with the windows open and a fan fluctuating lazily in the corner of every room, the temperature of her apartment was hotter than the heat of her body.

She swipes the now lukewarm fabric down her throat and pauses at her collarbone. The washcloth soaks the thin t-shirt over her breasts while she considers why she had ended up in California of all places. Hot weather equaled no vampires until night time, if that. No vampires meant no stupid hot Alpha man-boy imprinted werewolf in her vicinity.

_So I ran like a coward after the royal Italian "invincible" leeches slunk off into the dirt or wherever they were from… Sue me_.

Leah grimaces at her reflection in her mirror. Her hazel eyes narrows and she gives herself a look in warning. There she went thinking about it again after swearing she wouldn't.

Her disappearing act didn't bother anyone. Maybe, Seth and her mother, but even as she left she couldn't help to think she was freeing everyone from her misery and torture. She had gotten permission from the Council to leave for nursing school, so they wouldn't have to rely on Doctor Cullen when something happened to the pack. Or at least that's the excuse Leah had given them and they had reluctantly agreed to let her go after she pointed out that the threat was gone and there were now over twenty boys to handle the situation if something ever popped up.

Was it wrong of her not asking her Alpha turned lover first? Or not even saying goodbye— leaving the travel of the word mill to get to him as Leah high tailed her ass out of there in the used 1996 Nissan her mom had brought her?

Probably, but it was what she had to do.

She couldn't allow herself to sink into another depression after watching him fall over his demon spawn of an imprint. Even with him coming to her window in La Push promising along with countless claims of somehow breaking the stupid imprint every, single, night, while she continually let him in again and again and again…

It wasn't like he even came looking for her after all this time, so her leaving was a win-win for everyone. She got to leave to pursue her dream, the pack was free from her torment and Jake had his precious little imprint who was still aging at a rapid rate until she reached the age of six. Making the girl who received one of the worst names in history—in Leah's opinion—an adult in a physical sense.

Leah pauses in her thoughts grimacing, well, she went there and now the damn was breaking loose. She wasn't going to cry. Nope, not Leah—cold heartless bitch—Clearwater. He wasn't worth any more of her tears. At the end of the day he didn't belong to her…not fully at least, and she knew he never would.

It came with dating a wolf she knew had a high possibility of leaving her but she still took the leap and gave the asshole a chance. And then he proved her right by imprinting just as she had finally given her all to him.

She was getting used to people and things walking out of her life anyway. First it was Sam stapled with Emily, her father, her control on her anger along with her fertility, her friends, her dreams of going away to college and then _him_. His imprinting hit the hardest, not as hard as losing her father was, because nothing would ever top that. But it slapped reality onto her harder than Sam imprinting on Emily, harder than knowing she would no longer be able to see a mini-her running around and harder than when she thought she would never experience the college life.

She had only been away from La Push for a solid four months and it was the happiest she had ever been in her life. Granted she was alone ninety three percent of the time, it was still welcomed. California wasn't really that far but it was far enough away that she felt free.

She was going to the City College of San Francisco until one of the many Universities she applied to accepted her. She had an overload of money saved up from working in her family owned store for so many years and the money she never got to use on the wedding with Sam. So she wasn't too concerned that she hadn't found a job yet.

She took up running in the nearby park and local self-defense classes to stop her anger from boiling over like it used to. It worked so well that she was only forced to phase once every few days. Her wolf didn't like that she spent so much time in human form anyway and it was always nice to run on all fours letting the wind fly through her fur. It wasn't La Push by any means but it helped keep her grounded, so she had no complaints. She always made sure to text or call Seth before she phased in fear that _he _would be phased along with her. He'd only demand she come home and did she want that?

No.

What Jacob Black didn't know wouldn't hurt him.

She scrubs at her neck again as if she could wipe away her pestering thoughts and memories then threw the washcloth in the hamper next to the door. When she turns off the bathroom light and steps into the hallway her body immediately tenses at the familiar scent in the air that isn't hers. She softly inhales three times taking in the scent headily just to make sure she hasn't completely lost her mind. The smell definitely hadn't been in her home but it is a scent her body immediately remembers. Her heart rate picks up in speed and she can feel the adrenaline running through her as if she were about to phase.

_Channel your energy Leah, do not phase, do not phase, do not phase._ She repeats to herself like a mantra.

Before she can even turn, a shadow disengages itself from the dark corner behind the bathroom door, clamps a hand around her wrist and spun her face first into the wall. Her cheek plants hard against the wall—right next to the hanging picture of her father beaming as he held a large fish that was longer than his body with a grinning five year old Leah sitting on top of his shoulders with her hands in his hair.

The heated calloused palm claps abruptly over her mouth muffling her instinctive growl-shriek. The air rushing through her nose carries with it the familiar scent of pine, wood, mint and the unique smell of home. She fights sagging into his form using every muscle in her body. Her heartbeat hadn't slowed in the slightest but at least she knew she wasn't going to phase anymore.

With her free hand braced at shoulder height, she tries pushing back against the steel-solid body. The asshole didn't move an inch. Instead he knocks her off-balance by wedging one leg between hers and with little energy forced the front of her body to press further into the wall. He always had superior size and strength along with the advantage of surprise she was now trapped.

Her eyes narrows twisting her head to peer over the large hand engulfing the lower half of her face, only to have her vision confirm what she didn't want to see. Broad shoulders, along with a distinctive teal clad chest pinning her torso, and a ridged abdomen trapping the arm bent behind her back. Fidgeting uselessly in a struggle to regain some sort of control only ground her bottom against his hips, and her thin boy shorts weren't providing the protection she needed from the persistent erection shoving against her ass.

_Why is he here?_

_Why now?_

_How the fuck did he find me?_

She made sure to covers her tracks, she never sent letters home, sticking only to email, texts, and phone calls. The Council only got her grades in the mail and that was sent directly from her college, no one knew where her apartment was except maybe…_Seth_.

She closes her eyes in defeat vowing to tear her brother a new one whenever she saw him again.

"You done now Lee? I just want to talk." his voice sounds hoarse and huskier than she remembered against her ear. She hates how her body betrays her shivering at his minty breath and his closeness.

But no, she wasn't even close to being done because he still had his hands on her. His large heated hands that she had burned in her memory and spent hours trying not to dream about at night.

She bit the inside of his palm still placed over her mouth and nose as hard as she could, hearing his long drawn out hiss as his grip loosened just a little. It is all she needed though for her to spring into action. While twisting her arm out of his grasp she turns her body and lands a punch right under his chin, knocking his head back. Leah follows that with an elbow jab and a roundhouse kick to his abdomen knowing her toes will probably hurt for a while but it is worth it when he stumbles back a few steps.

"Shit," He groans moving his hand down his jaw while the other grips his side.

He sounds horrible like she had really done some damage. Her lips twitch as she fights off a smile. Defense classes were paying off, she would never complain at her intense workouts ever again.

She can smell and see the blood he wipes off with the palm of his hand. She didn't know what he was expecting but him showing up unannounced—or at all for that matter—was idiotic of him. He knew her well enough to know she wasn't going to like any of this and he still came anyway.

_He must have been dropped on his head too many times as a baby, the poor thing._

His tongue peeks out as he licks his bottom lip. He scrunches up his nose twice, sniffing before narrowing his eyes at her. Her eyes widen slightly at his now shaking form. She impulsively flex her fingers, keeping up her slow miniscule backward steps to her bedroom.

Even though she really doesn't want to she asks anyway keeping her distance, "Are you okay?"

"I'll live," he grumbles closing his eyes until he is no longer shaking. "You knew it was me…" his dark eyes open scanning her body heatedly, leaving her to feel as if she were naked. "You could have at least waited before you went all Rambo on me. What were you trying to do kill me?"

Her defenses were way up so she just shrugs as a response, "You threw me against my own damn wall, not to mention you came into _my_ house uninvited. Haven't you ever heard of breaking and entering?"

She doesn't bother asking how he got in, because although her apartment is on the fourth floor, she knew he was always good at climbing things and all her windows were open. It was as if she was just begging for him to come in.

He ignores her question, "I would applaud you for kicking my ass, but I'm trying to keep my stomach contents in place." He jokes awkwardly.

The tension between them crackled with crazy charged intensity when they locked eyes for all of a minute. Leah looked away first knowing what looking into his eyes too long would end up doing to her.

Leah crosses her arms over her breast as she took another slight step back. "You deserved it and you know it."

She could tell when he was no longer in pain because his hand dropped from his mouth and his tongue stopped peeking out against the corner of his lips. She couldn't help as her eyes perused his body. It looked as if he had gotten taller, but she couldn't be too sure, he was already gigantic at six-foot-seven, he really didn't need anymore height added to him. His russet skin still looked smooth and flawless except where he now had stubble along his jaw and chin. His hair is a lot longer than she remembered sticking up in tousled fohawk and it took Leah an instant to decide that she actually preferred this look to his usual close cropped hair. His biceps were still sculpted perfectly and his shoulders were still as broad as daylight. And there is no way she could miss the shape of his strong pectorals.

Her gaze went lower still even when she really tried to stop herself. Her traitorous eyes scanned over the teal tank top that hung over his black shorts. But it didn't obscure the view of his flat stomach and his narrow waist. She is almost embarrassed at her reaction to his thighs. Her breath actually caught in her throat, as if she had never seen the man's strong things before.

Of course she had. She had seen every delicious inch of him…

_Damn it to hell!  
><em>

"It's good to see that you haven't lost your sense of humor Clearwater." He flashes a bright white lopsided grin in her direction.

_Wait... what?  
><em>

Leah had been so caught up in walking backwards to keep the distance between them and scrutinizing him that she had forgotten what they were talking about. Not that any of the small chitchat was important she had a whole bunch of questions that needed to be answered.

"Why don't you tell me what you're doing here?" She lifts her chin at him uncrossing her arms, letting them fall to her sides.

"I came here to find you…" he looks down before at the floor before looking back up at her. "…to bring you home." he says taking a step closer.

"Go to hell Jacob and get out of my house while you're at it. I'm not going back there to wa—" she clenches her teeth immediately cutting herself off mid-sentence. He didn't deserve to hear her thoughts. He sought her out; he should be the one talking.

She turns intending to just end the conversation there and go to bed, he could stand there for the rest of his life if he wanted but the conversation was now done and over with in her eyes.

Before she could push open her bedroom door she felt a warm hand on her shoulder.

She shakes it off, only so the shock that ran through her body would leave. "Leave me alone, I had a long day and I just want—"

"Leah…"

The rest of her objection dies on her lips. Damn it! Why did he have to say her name all soft, low and whispery? Her knees actually went a little weak and she didn't need weak right now. She needed the strength she had built over the last four months being away from him.

He squeezes her shoulder stepping so close that she is able to feel his heat and power radiate off his body, "Listen I know this is a lot to take in b—"

"A lot to take in? You call _this_ a lot to take in?" she scowls at her half open bedroom door wishing he would stop touching her. It really wasn't fair. At least she didn't have to stare at him though.

"All right, that's an understatement. We need to talk I want—need to explain some things to you."

"You're too late, that ship has sailed off and it's never coming back." She rolls her eyes at nothing in particular.

He sounds amused as he makes his next statement. "I had a feeling you were going to say that and I don't blame you. But I know you have questions and if you—" he cuts himself off for only a second before speaking again. "_when _you give me the chance to explain the last year will make sense."

_When? Smug bastard!_

She clenched her jaw, not even bothering to face him. She knew if she saw his eyes she would be done for. "Things not speeding up fast enough with your imprint? Blue balls sent you all this way?" she snarls out, not giving him a chance to answer as she continues. "There is nothing to explain… you imprinted end of story. Let. Me. Go…" she pauses for only a second before adding over her shoulder, "I already let you go." She feels her heart twist at the lie and she realizes at that moment that she still cares.

How had she ever fooled herself into thinking that she was over him?

She just needed to get out of here, obviously staying so close was doing nothing but fucking with her already messed up, chaotic mind. Leah moves out of her doorway further into her room but he grabs her arm pulling her into his hard body so that she is forced to face him again. Her body tingles in response causing her to groan inwardly. Oh, how she wished she could hate him.

"Let me go Black before I top what I did to you a few minutes ago and it will actually hurt far worse. If you think I'm joking, go ahead and try me."

"No," Jacob replies firmly grabbing her chin so Leah is forced to meet his gaze. He was looking at her with a serious, yet vulnerable expression. She just about came undone taking in his raw appearance, but it didn't change the facts. He needed to stop touching her, looking at her and he needed to get out of her home, while some of her rational thought was still intact.

"I'm not letting you go Leah. I never let you go to begin with, you need to understand that." He went on his other hand going to her other arm to keep her in place. "Like I told you, I have a lot of things to explain. And you're _going_ to listen. I don't want to have to command—"

"You better not, I'll rip you to shreds you if you _try _to do that." She frowns.

He nods twice, grinning. "I know Lee, all I'm asking for is a few minutes. Everything will make sense if you let me explain how everything at home has changed."

Leah sighs, rolling her eyes. "Somehow I don't think you are going to take no for an answer."

"Smart girl." He smirks rubbing his hands up and down on her arm.

"Fine," she sighs relaxing at his touch. She knew he wasn't going to leave without some words being said but she needed to get some control back on the situation at hand "_Seven_ minutes and that's it. So speak fast."

He bends down as his right hand trails up to her jaw. Leah fights to keep her eyes open watching in slow motion as he continues to lean down until his lips are so close that they barely brush hers. "I'll take whatever I can get."

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><p><strong>As always the next chapter will explain a whole lot more.<br>**

**Questions? Confusion? review and I'll respond without giving too much away.  
><strong>

**Reviews are welcomed and cherished like Jacob Black on that rainy day in New Moon…le sigh :)**


	2. Ch2:Edge Of Desire

**Disclaimer: SM owns Twilight along with anything else recognizable & the song belongs to John Mayer and his representatives. **

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><p><em>I want you so bad I'll go back on the things I believe<em>

_there I just said it _

_I'm scared you'll forget about me_

_so young and full of running_

_all the way to the edge of desire_

_steady my breathing_

_silently screaming_

_I have to have you now_

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><p><strong>Ch2:<strong> **Edge Of Desire**

Jake finally had her where he wanted her, he was finally going to kiss the girl he had spent four months fantasizing and dreaming about. Or at least he thought so until he felt Leah sigh softly in exasperation pushing against his chest with her hands before he could taste her mouth the way he really wanted to. Since he was standing awkwardly he staggers back at the small push that sent a jolt of missed shock through his body. He didn't really register that she was moving out of his arms until her sweet scent started to drift away with her.

_Damn it!_

Jake exhales out his own frustration bracing his hand against the wall in front of him. He puts his head down for a minute to try and gather his thoughts together. He expected this—for her to be difficult. He never thought it would take this long for him to find her. It came down to him trying to find ways to break his imprint bond, no one telling him where Leah was, satisfying the need of his imprint and being consumed with the pain that he had actually lost his Beta.

Leah really thought he was just going to let her stay away from him forever? He almost laughed out loud at how ridiculous that idea was. When he had used the fire escape to climb up to her window he had anticipated her to fight him but nothing like she had done in her large hallway. His abdomen was still throbbing in discomfort as he stood trying to get her to let him stay so that they could talk.

Jake narrows his eyes for a second as his eyes adjust to the room when she decides to turn the light on.

He lets his hand fall back to his side and turns around to look at her sauntering to her bed. "I'm glad you're giving me time to explain this all to you."

Damn, he had it bad if he even missed the way she walked. She really had no idea how amazing of a gait she had. It always came out so effortlessly seductive and graceful.

"Actually, I would have called the police if I knew that would have done me any good." She admits plopping down on her red and blue checkered comforter, with her right leg crossed over her left. "But then I would be forced to bail you out and I know you wouldn't be able to pay me back. Worthless call, pointless arrest, wasted money and we would end up right back here after all that. Story of my freaking life." She mutters crossing her arms under her breast still not meeting his gaze.

Jake is surprised that she didn't bother putting on any other clothes while he was still here. She isn't wearing a bra, not like she ever did when it would always end up in pieces on the forest floor. But her thin pale yellow camisole that she is wearing did little to hide her peaked nipples. Something he could clearly remember the taste of, as if he'd just had one in his mouth.

That tight shirt along with her tiny black boy shorts—which showed off her killer copper toned legs—should have been illegal. Her tiny panties had her delicious addicting scent floating more into his nose with each passing movement and left little to the imagination. Not that he hadn't already seen and learned all of her. He had memorized everything about her to the point of fixation. But after all this time away from her and seeing Leah in only _that _was driving his wolf insane.

He didn't really want to talk, he just wanted her to come back home. He missed her like crazy and it confused him until no end because the other imprinted guys didn't have thoughts of other women. At least, not the kind of thoughts that Jake had about his runaway Beta. Jake walks over to the bed and sits a good distance away from Leah knowing she still needed time to accept that he was actually here and not going anywhere. It also forced him to not touch her even though his hands were slightly shaking because he was denying himself of that pleasure.

"Get on with it," she snaps. "Your seven minutes is now..." her eyes drift to the digital clock on her bedside table by Jake, she silently mouths the number fifty nine and sixty before she glances at him, "six minutes."

Jake takes a heavy breath letting her scent relax him, "Everyone back at home misses you. We want you to come back..." he says slowly, knowing his next statement is just going to piss her off, joke or not. "So you're coming home whether you like it or not. Even if I have to throw you over my shoulder and run all the way back to the rez."

"Someone really should have sent me a Jake translator," Leah laughs out . "You do realize that you wouldn't even make it out of this city before I kicked your balls off, pummeled your face in and choked the hell out of you, right?"

"You did have this thing for being tied up if I remember correctly." He grins massaging his chin as if he is in deep thought. Even though he clearly remembered that she absolutely loved it, almost as much as he loved seeing her tied up underneath him.

She narrows her eyes growling. "You wouldn't dare Black."

"Want to try me Clearwater?" he says leaning his face closer to hers where he can smell her scent even stronger and sweet fragrant breath. He barely brushes his hand against her thigh, causing her eyes to flutter quickly and his heart to race in excitement.

She huffs pushing his face back with the palm of her hand and moving his hand away from her leg. "You're wasting time, hurry up and explain whatever it is that you're dying to tell me. So I can go back to my life and you can go back to the world of imprinted love sick idiots and your 'perfect' precious little leech family. Doesn't it hurt to be far away from your _soulmate_ anyway?" she feigns nonchalance but he can hear the disgust in her voice when she says the word.

Jake doesn't even get that upset at her choice of words. He actually missed when she would talk to him this way. "I've been just meeting the bare minimum. Finding you was more important." he says when her eyes lock with his.

He could now stay away for five days before he had to make sure that Nessie was still alright and breathing. Not that any of the Cullen's ever let her out of their sight long enough for anything to happen to her.

Leah exhales a shaky breath looking away from him. "I really wish you wouldn't say things you don't mean." After a moment of silence she mumbles. "Finish explaining so you can leave."

"You left without asking me—" He cuts himself off knowing that was the wrong way to start off. After a moment he looks at her stunning profile since she still won't meet his gaze, "It hurt that you didn't even have the heart to tell me 'goodbye'…" He furrows his eyebrows wishing she would look at him, "even a 'fuck you' or 'I hate your guts' would have sufficed."

"You were always so dramatic." She rolls her eyes. "First off, I didn't and don't need your permission _ever_. Secondly you would have stopped me; you and I both know that. And I couldn't afford to take that chance." She shrugs pretending she doesn't care but whether she realizes it or not, her body does turn to face him more.

Jake curls his fingers into his palm because he had another urge to reach out and touch her again. "I remembered feeling off all day long, just not knowing why. Embry and Quil were both acting jittery and off as well. No one could find you, and the people who had known at that point weren't talking. I'm still pissed at just about everyone for that. I mean fuck even Edward knew!"

"Figured as much, he can read minds you know." She answers wryly.

"Do you want to hear what I have to say or not?" he grumbles in aggravation. He didn't find it funny that he was the last one to find out.

"Go on," she unfolds her arms from her chest and lays her hands down on the side of her body.

He knew that she wasn't going to apologize because Leah Clearwater never apologized for anything, so he went on, "Seth went m.i.a. for three days and probably would have stayed away forever if he could."

"Are you telling me that my brother was hiding? From you?" she laughs incredulously leaning back slightly against her hands on the bed. Her laughter had been a sound that Jake had truly missed for the past four months. She shakes her head glancing over at him. "Seth idolizes the ground you walk on. That doesn't seem like something he would do."

"_Idolized _is the correct word. He made it crystal clear that he doesn't now." Jake says regretfully clearing his throat when she raises her eyebrow in question. "Anyways it turned out that he didn't want to be the one to tell me…" he swallows dryly. "…that you left."

She probably would have stayed in La Push and they definitely would have been together if Jake didn't end up imprinting. It wasn't something he ever wanted to happen to him, but once he did everything changed.

As much as Jake adored Nessie, wanted her utterly happy and would do absolutely anything to protect every little hair on her head, including sacrificing his own life. He never wanted to be sexually or romantically involved with her. Maybe that had something to do with the fact that she was still a child at eight months old; who physically looked like a three year old and had a mind that continued to race ahead with speeding light each passing day. But still even at six or seven years of age when she was supposed to physically look like adult he still wouldn't want her the way he wanted Leah.

How was he supposed to just turn off brother-protector and just switch into gear of being his imprints lover-protector? And that question could only be asked _if_ Nessie ever wanted him in that way. Jake didn't even want to be accepted, he wanted freedom. He still firmly believed that the imprintees held way too much power. In his case he was still confused as to how everything was supposed to work because he was the only one to ever imprint on a half-vampire/half-human hybrid. And Jake couldn't forget that Nessie had absolutely everything and everyone in the palm of her tiny little hands.

Jake couldn't offer her anything really that she didn't already have, so why had he imprinted on her? Who was to say that his imprint didn't serve as another purpose? How could he have an imprint who was supposed to consume every thought of his but still have incessant amounts of feelings for his Beta?

Way too many questions and still no solid answers, but he definitely planned to find out, he just needed to get Leah back home. He didn't feel complete without her there. Even Embry, Quil and Seth had said as much.

Although Leah irritated him and grated his nerves he knew everything he felt for her was real. Jake hung out with Leah because he wanted to, not because he had to.

It really shouldn't have taken him four months to find her, but after finding out that Leah had ran off it finally began to click in his mind: he needed to break the imprint and he needed to do it right away. Not just for her, but for himself also.

He had been promising to break the imprint even when Leah was still in La Push, but everything he had tried hadn't worked, so he knew he had to switch up his mind frame and think way outside of the box. If it was possible he was definitely going to find a way, even if it ended up killing him.

In the past months he had spent a lot more time in La Push with his dad asking questions and looking around at ancient, falling apart, dusty handwritten books that hadn't been touched in years. The problem was everything was in Quileute and the old language of Chimakuan. Jake tried reading it on his own but found that he didn't know that much of either language to decipher the whole thing so he asked his dad.

His father knew just about all of the Quileute dialect but wasn't any help with interpreting the Chimakuan language, which seemed to be the most important. Billy had mentioned with each passing elder the language died with them and there might have been maybe two people still alive who could help Jake. Jake knew if he didn't find at least one person that his search had been for nothing, so that went to the top of the list.

He even went so far as to asking each of the Cullen's if they ever recalled hearing the language, because it was a start and he was pretty desperate at that point. It only ended up as a dead end and a rather annoying Bella to start buzzing questions in his ear. Bella didn't like that Jake hardly spent anytime with his imprint and spent more time trying to find his Beta. It was something he didn't have the time to explain so he may have just shrugged her off. He had never done that before and didn't think too much on it, as his mind kept chugging along to hopefully get to another clue.

When Jake wasn't struggling to locate the people who knew even a lick of Chimakuan, he was trying to find Leah. It seemed like no one was speaking a word on Leah's whereabouts. He later found out that not even Leah's own mother knew where his Beta really was.

The Council only told Jake the college she was attending which narrowed down his search to San Francisco, California. That hardly helped with the population of that city surpassing way over five hundred thousand. After talking with the Council, most of the members of La Push, Jake's own pack and coming up with nothing, he almost gave up.

His last hope was Seth who had been acting strange and distant ever since his sister had skipped town. Whenever Jake would enter a room Seth would leave, unless Jake called a pack meeting or asked Seth a question directly. And whenever Jake was phased with Seth, the crazy kid began singing mother goose nursery rhymes or reciting every recipe list he had in his head until Jake finally stopped patrolling with him altogether. Jake still didn't like giving any of his renegade pack members' commands, so he had never done so with Seth, even though it may have crossed his mind once or twice. Jake knew Seth was hiding something, he just couldn't tell what it was. And there was an underlying hint of animosity between them. Something Jake had never felt coming from Seth but was sensing it then in overwhelming waves.

Up until two days ago Seth held firm saying he knew nothing and even if he did, he wasn't saying a word. Seth probably would have kept his mind zipped and sealed longer if he had realized that he wasn't alone in his head that day. Jake was always good at phasing in and out quietly and that neat little trick finally paid off as Seth let his entire mind race, until he stopped and grasped that he wasn't by himself.

Jake wasn't surprised to find out from Seth thoughts, that Leah was fed up with being Jake's convenient and temporary lover. The thing was Leah had never been temporary or convenient to Jake. Well maybe in the beginning she had been. That was only because he didn't understand his growing feelings for Leah in the midst of trying to keep Bella from having Nessie. And as much as he tried to fight his mounting attraction to Leah there was just a point that he couldn't anymore.

Leah intrigued his wolf even though he swore up and down to himself that she didn't. Jake had actually forced himself to believe that he was irretrievably in love with Bella until the final seconds of her 'death'. Then his imprinting had happened scrambling his mind and confusing him more than he already had been.

But even before all of that Jake and Leah understood each others pain to an extent and with all the drama that was going on releasing some of the sexual tension helped. Losing his virginity to Leah was probably one of the best decisions he had ever made in his life.

They had done it in the woods a week and a half before Nessie was born. No vows of love were made, no promises of ever doing it again, just something to momentarily distract them both from their pain. Jake made sure not to think about it after and neither did Leah. They went on as if nothing ever happened although it had continued to happen again and again. Both of them took what they needed out of each other and left it at that. Or at least they really had tried to. Neither of the two never comprehended why they kept coming back to one another, they just did.

Leah hadn't changed the way she acted except that one instance when she had went off on Bella right before everything had gone to shit. That was the moment Jake knew he had gone too far with Leah and that they probably should have calmed down the storm they were creating. But that didn't stop him, even imprinting on Nessie didn't stop him from taking Leah…

He was surprised that he was able to hide it from everyone for so long but after Leah left he just couldn't anymore.

Jake remembers the last few thoughts he shared with Seth as they both ran as wolves. _"I really fucked up. I'm going to fix this though I just have to..."_

_"You do that."_ Seth had let out a bitter bark as he stopped running and sat down on his haunches. "_I'd say goodluck but you deserve whatever she does to you." _

_"Do you have something you want to say to me Seth?" _Jacob asked his ears raising in alarm as he took in Seth's hostile thoughts of Leah choking Jacob in the middle of the street.

_"Let's just say if I knew for a fact that you wouldn't just heal before I was done with you, I would have made sure your face put Emily's to shame. But I know my sis would just be pissed that she didn't get you instead. So go on ahead, find my sister and _try_ to bring her back home. I'll start arranging your funeral now." _and with that Seth had phased out.

Jake grimaces at the memory. He didn't even know how he was supposed to respond to that since he was in Oregon at that point running as fast as he could while trying to stay unnoticed. And Seth was in Forks patrolling around the Cullen's house keeping watch until Embry or Quil came to relieve him.

Jake had never heard any of Seth's thoughts so angry, bitter and hurt at least not directed Jake's way. It did explain the animosity Jake kept feeling though. He knew Seth was upset but Jake had been so caught up in his own head about getting Leah back that he had essentially ignored everything else around him. Not realizing how Leah's disappearance had affected Seth or anyone else for that matter until that very moment.

Jake really hoped he could bring Leah home if only to get back the happy go lucky Seth that he had remembered, even if none of that happiness was directed to Jake.

"You know, for someone who wanted to talk you sure are spacing like you have all the time in the world… you're now at two minutes and thirty six seconds." Leah says, snapping him from his thoughts.

"I think I found a way to break the imprint." He says still trying to get his mind off Seth's lasting words.

"Oh really?" Leah raises both of her eyebrows. "Sounds interesting." She says indifferently although her eyes light with a new fire he hadn't seen before.

"But you have to come back ho—"

"Oh, no you don't." Her jaw clenches as she begins shaking, "Get out."

"No, I still have like a minute and forty something seconds."

"I don't give a flying fuck what you have. Get. Out." Leah growls out trying to push him off the bed.

Jake didn't budge, he never understood why she even bothered the whole pushing thing. She may be the fastest in the pack but she wasn't the strongest. He was and even though she knew that, she still insisted on trying to push him away. He wasn't leaving without her, he _couldn't_ leave without her.

"Look Leah I know you don't understand." he says trying to touch her but she hastily gets up and moves away from her bed.

Jake licks his lips shaking his head, it seemed like he was going to have to try a different tactic since she was being so difficult. He didn't know why she bothered fighting the inevitable.

* * *

><p><em>Understand? Understand! What the hell was there to understand?<em> Leah thinks to herself as she stomps away from her bed. Her neighbors downstairs were probably wondering what she was doing up here to warrant so much noise, but she didn't care. She was livid.

How dare he just shove his way into her home and pull this mess!

"Leah—" Jake starts getting up, causing Leah to turn to face him quickly.

"Don't you 'Leah' me. Your seven minutes have been up and you haven't said a god damn thing… get out." She points to her open window trying to calm her shaking. "Before I bite you."

Leah knew she was way too close to phasing. She could feel the heat roll down her spine and her form starting to blur as her wolf struggled with her to get out. She put her arm down, closed her eyes and tried taking calming breaths, letting her thoughts relax her.

_Not in my apartment… I wouldn't be able to explain that big of a hole in my wall if I phased right now. What did that crazy psychology teacher tell the class would help in the fit of anger? Oh yeah, counting! Counting and breathing, I can do that._

_Ten… nine… eight… seven…_

Leah was proud of herself, she actually stopped blurring and was barely shaking but she wanted to finish her countdown until she got to one so she didn't stop.

_six, fi—_

"That's kind of hot Clearwater I never took you for a biter." Her eyes snap open when he chuckles. The first thing she can see is him a good distance away from her with that stupid smirk still gracing his face.

"Damn it Jake!" she growls clenching her fist to calm her new surge of anger.

If anyone could piss her off to the point of almost phasing, it was him, and he knew that. Probably reveled in the fact that he was one of the only few people to take her out of her happy place and put her in this position. Because it never failed that it was always him.

"You always looked incredibly sexy when you are angry, glad to see that hasn't changed either." He comments stepping closer to her.

It was like the four months away from him hadn't happened, and they were just arguing in her mom's house while she slept peacefully downstairs. Jake just barged into her apartment and assumed he could have her.

It really wasn't fair that she couldn't resist when he put his hands on her shoulders and backed her up against the wall next to her full length mirror. Once again caging her in with his body; only this time he didn't need to ninja his way into her apartment, he was already here. She knew she was losing the slow battle of control when she barely had it in her to tell him to leave again.

Why the hell were they still in her bedroom? They could have moved the conversation elsewhere… like anywhere else for crying out loud.

And why the hell did she give him seven minutes to explain? The arrogant asshole hadn't explained a damn thing. He just told her that she needed to come home. She wasn't going back to La Push without a fight and it didn't look like he was going to leave without her. They were stuck at a stalemate with neither of them willing to give or move an inch.

She hated to admit that he still overwhelmed her and made her want him badly even as she stood glaring up at him. She had been doing so well when they sat away from each other on the bed. He kept his hands to himself for the most part and she was sort of able to think straight. But now...

She shakes her head so hard her ponytail slaps his cheek. "Things have changed."

He lifts his eyebrows, accusingly. "Nothing has changed Leah, you can't bullshit me. I can tell you still want me every bit as much as I want you." He strokes the rebellious loose strands of her hair behind her ear. "Be honest," he whispers against her ear. "you missed me."

She couldn't deny it, so she said nothing, glaring at the floor instead.

His hand moves up to her chin lifting it so she is forced to meet his gaze. "I guess I'll start first, I missed you Leah and I still miss you. And even if you won't tell me with your own lips, I know that you always asked about me while you were away."

_Seth._

Jake's earlier words of no longer being idolized by her brother actually surprised her. She didn't think that her leaving would cause a rift in Jake's and Seth's bromance, but it figured. Seth knew everything that had happened to her involving the whole Sam situation and to her brother it probably looked like it was happening all over again tenfold. In a way it was, but Leah couldn't seem to get away from Jake and he was at least_ trying_ to do something instead of just accepting it for what it was.

Leah loved her brother with everything in her, knowing that he still cared and protected her even with the large distance between them. But it seemed like her baby brother had a whole list of things to answer for, which probably explained why he had sent a text saying 'Sorry' with a stupid sad emoticon. What the hell was she supposed to get out of that text? She was definitely going to have to teach him better warning techniques because that text was as much help as cleaning up flour with water.

"Frivolous curiosity." She says dismissively, adding. "It's nothing to feel special about. I even ask about the mind reading leech," she scoots herself out of his grasp again.

But she didn't move far enough away, he reached out with his long arm and stroked one finger against her neck causing her to stop dead in her tracks.

A quiet whimper escapes from her lips as she shivers. She attempts to move, but found that her traitorous legs wouldn't move until Jake was backing her up against the wall. In seconds she was pinned by his muscled hips against her stomach and his bulge poking her.

_Fuck, again? I'm never going near a wall for the rest of my life._ She thinks to herself in exasperation.

"Really Leah? Is that all it was?" He rests the palm of hand at her collarbone, capturing her, holding her still with his large warm calloused fingers on her heated skin.

She tries to slow down her erratic heart rate, aware that he could see and feel every one of her reactions, with his hand on her still. He always had that effect on her. A virgin turned sex god in the days she'd had him, before he had gone and imprinted, and even after. He could push her buttons so easily, whether out of anger or this strange chemistry they had with one another.

He was right, nothing had changed. The only way to deal with it was to ignore him and not fall into his trap. He lifts a strand of hair from her neck and loops it where the rest was bundled on top of her head. The intimate act threw her, powering her desires for him and him alone.

"Because," He bends his head and grazes his lips along her neck his breath cooling down her heated skin. "…your scent is telling me something completely different."

Shivers of sensation weakened her resolve. He unraveled her so easily, leaving her thoughts and desires bare and exposed.

"Don't…" she warns as she tries fighting her body that wants to gravitate closer to him.

_Please don't_, she begs in her thoughts, because she knew if she voiced that out loud he would know she was way too close to giving him anything and everything he asked for.

"Admit it Leah, you want me." His voice was getting deeper and gruffer with each passing breath when he moves his head away to look down at her.

Anger raced through her along with the heat of his words. Her body was already reacting to him and he hadn't even really done anything yet. She should have demanded he stop touching her but she couldn't.

She takes a heavy breath looking up into his dark lust-ridden brown eyes. "You promised back in La Push…" she stops looking into his eyes picking the stubble on his jaw instead. "…you promised that you would leave me alone if I told you that's what I want."

He ignores the promise he had made one of the nights before she kicked him out of her mother's house, shrugging his left shoulder. "We aren't in La Push right now."

She narrows her eyes at him not even bothering trying to push him away. "Damn it Black, you're so irritating!"

"And you're sexy as hell when you're turned on." A dangerously deep dimple pops out on the right side of his cheek as he smiles.

"I'm annoyed not turned on." She growls choosing to look out her open window now. His face wasn't safe to look at either. Nothing with him was ever safe.

From her peripheral vision she can see him tap his nose twice with his middle finger and she scowls knowing the bastard could smell her.

He went to stroke her cheek but she slapped his hand down as hard as she could. "Did you come all this way to embarrass me?"

"No, I came all this way because as hard as I tried to fight it, I can't help wanting you. Not just for sex, not just for something to pass the time. But because without you by my side things just aren't the same. You already know how I didn't want to ever imprint and I think I may have found a way that I can be with you. If you would let me show you that I am strong enough to break this crazy imprint and be yours the way it should have been after I really got to know you."

Her heart felt like it had just fallen out of her chest. Out of everything she had been expecting for him to say, it definitely hadn't been that. She glares at him, hating that he said that now, when he had all the time to say it months ago.

"I hate you." she whispers.

"I wouldn't blame you if you did, but I know you don't." His gaze penetrates right through her. "Come home with me Leah."

Leah shakes her head no letting out a long withheld breath, knowing that with each passing moment her will to resist him was waning. Why oh why had she looked into his eyes? And why was she letting him whisper against her skin?

Her breasts were growing annoyingly heavy, her nipples were pointed and achy and the rest of her body felt like it was on fire the more she denied him. But she was still fighting with the small ball of fire she had left in her.

_He has an imprint. It doesn't matter how old the weird freaky hybrid is now, she'll accept him when she comes of age and they'll live happily ever after. Let him go. You promised yourself you wouldn't do this to yourself again._

"I guess I'll just have to convince you then." He murmurs grasping her wrists in his large hands.

"What are you doing?" Her core immediately clenched along with her fists that were hanging limply at her sides as he held them in his grasp. She couldn't move away even if he had given her the space she needed to get away from him.

"What does it look like?" He shifts his legs so that his feet were now shoulder length apart, making sure to still hold her lower body in place with his own, so she couldn't run away. Then he raised both of her wrists, placed them on the wall that she was leaning against and held them with his left strong warm hand.

"Let me go Black." she says wiggling against him to try and free her hands, which only causes the last sliver of her self control melts away.

"You're only turning me on more Lee, moving like that." he voices smugly, causing her to stop wriggling immediately.

"God damn it! When you let me go I'm going to rip you—" she threatens but cuts off mid-sentence when the thumb of his free hand brushes across her nipple.

She trembles slightly letting out a quiet moan. She might as well should have taken her shirt off it didn't conceal much of anything and she felt his the heat of his thumb seep through her thin camisole as if she had been naked.

"I'm not letting you go. Not until you understand that I'm not leaving without you. I have to make this right." he rumbles, running his free hand down her hip, past her ass to her thigh raising her leg to his hip.

They both shuddered and let out a sigh of contentment when her concealed heat came in contact with his bulge. He couldn't really lift her other leg with his tight hold on her wrists but one tap on her right inner thigh and she immediately raised her right leg to meet the other side of his hip.

Her heart began pounding in her ears as she locked her legs around him. "You don't have a choice on whether I leave or not. I like it here, I have a life here."

He lowers his head down and began trailing light kisses up and down her neck. "You call _this_ a life? Your apartment is still half empty after four months of being here. You have no family in this big city and I'm pretty sure you don't have any friends. I didn't smell any other scents in this place besides your own."

She had never really thought about how alone she really was until he had put it like that.

"The police department would have..." Her head bangs hard against the bedroom wall when he thrusts forward. "...a field day with you. You would become their secret weapon to solve all the crimes in the world." she says acerbically through each serrated breath.

Leah had never hated clothing until that moment._ So close but not close enough._

He nips lightly at her collarbone pressing himself against her covered core that was still clenching at his closeness. She still didn't want to sleep with him but yet she did. Her mind was having the battles of all time right then.

_No versus Yes.  
><em>

_Brink of Aversion versus Edge of Desire._

_Imprinting versus Need. _

_Wrong versus Right. _

And she had no idea which one was winning at that moment because Jake had her mind stupefied.

Why couldn't she just push him away and go on with the life she apparently didn't have?

"I remember reading something about wolves being social creatures." he murmurs licking the side of her neck long and slow.

Her thoughts were becoming muddled but she still managed to grate out. "Wow, you read now? Stop the freaking presses!"

"Lee..." he warns rotating his hips against hers again.

_Dry-humping in my apartment with the guy I tried to get away from. Smart move, genius. _She thinks to herself sardonically.

She lets out a hiss as she exhales. "Haven't you ever heard...of the... lone wolf?"

"I need you Leah." he finally lets her hands go and grips her other thigh knowing she wouldn't try shoving him away.

"I'm not going back..." she shakes her head vehemently. "You can't make me go back there." she swallows dryly knowing she probably sounds like a whining child but she doesn't care as she resumes speaking. "Has it ever crossed your mind that it won't work... and then what? I just sit back and watch you give that frea—" She lets out a ragged breath closing her eyes as she decides not to finish her sentence.

She didn't want to cry and insulting his precious little imprint would end up pissing him off and probably taking their little dry hump session further into angry sex. As horny as Leah was, she really didn't want to have sex with him, not with all of this craziness still going on around them. Not with him still having his heart ultimately belong to someone else. If only she could think that when he had his hands and mouth on her.

He puts his forehead against hers. She can feel and taste each uneven delicious breath he takes not wanting to open her eyes yet. After a few moments he moves his forehead away from hers but she can still feel his concerned piercing stare on her face.

"Look at me Lee." it wasn't a command but her eyes open anyway as he speaks roughly. "I can't break this alone."

Her eyes scrutinize his passionate gaze. "Imprinting can't be broken or Sa—"

Jake snarls, moving one of his hands to clutch her hip. "You better not finish that sentence."

Her eyes widened when she noted how dark his eyes had gotten causing her to swallow the rest of her sentence.

"I've been on the search for months and apparently there is a lot of stuff we didn't know about that has been kept secret for years. It's mind boggling." he begins using words she had never heard before his face lighting with a fire as he tries to explain to her.

_What the hell?_

Leah shakes her head placing her hands flat on his chest to get him to shut up. She sighs in defeat knowing she was probably going to regret this the moment the words came out of her mouth.

"Stop beating around the bush and tell me what any of that nonsense has to do with me going back with you." she says frowning in confusion.

Jake knew he had won the war of whether or not she was going home when she asked that question. When he really put his mind to it, he understood Leah more than she understood herself. This being one of the times because she definitely wasn't going to outright tell him that she was going.

Jake kissed her softly on her lips caressing her cheek with his thumb to get her to stop frowning. Leah was still trying to ignore the jolt of pleasure that exploded through her body at his lips connecting with hers.

"I'll explain everything I know so far while you pack." He grins when Leah unlocks her feet from around them and slides back down to the floor.

_ Online classes here I come._

* * *

><p><strong>Wasn't going to update this until later in the week but I felt that Jake needed to explain himself some.<strong>

**And I feel a little better updating **_something_**.****  
><strong>

**So I hoped that answered the questions from last chapter even though I'm pretty sure there are a lot more now.**

**Hope everyone is having an awesome weekend!**

**Love all of you guys hard! **

**(^,^)  
><strong>


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